Haiyan-hit central Philippines up and running, as rebuilding struggles continue

Haiyan-hit central Philippines up and running, as rebuilding struggles continue

Two and a half months ago, super storm Haiyan slammed into central Philippines, turning almost everything in its path into rubble. Tacloban is the main city in the area and possibly one of the worst hit. I was here in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. There was no food, there was no water, there was no power. And there were tens, if not hundreds, of people at the airport waiting to get out of the city.

Well I’m back here again and the city has changed for the better. There is now food, there is now water. Businesses and shops are up and running, banks are now open, although there’s a long queue. The traffic jams are back.

Despite all these positive signs, the impact of the storm and the struggle that the people will have in terms of rebuilding Tacloban and other parts affected by the storm, is very apparent. A lot of the houses still don’t have roofs. The roads from the airport into the city are lined with debris and tents. People are still relying on assistance to survive day-to-day because their livelihoods have been lost and they don’t know when they will ever get them back.